3 “ Off-Field” Jobs in Soccer That Will Make You Love Your Career

3 “ Off-Field” Jobs in Soccer That Will Make You Love Your Career

Getting on the career ladder is hard.

Getting a job in a field that you love? Even harder.

In fact, it’s not uncommon for graduates to go 6 months before landing that first job. On top of that, you’ve probably been enjoying playing soccer throughout college and now, you’re looking into how you can stay involved in the sport you love by working off the field.

But where do you even start?

Teams? Brands? Stadiums? Broadcasting? Ah! So many choices!

Now, before you get overwhelmed, hear us out. The reason that you’re so confused is that you probably haven’t taken the time to sit down and really nail down what you’re interested in pursuing as a career. Plus, you likely don’t even realize the variety of jobs that are available within the soccer industry.

But what kind of jobs are even available in soccer? Here is a list of 5 “ off-field” jobs in soccer that will make you excited to get to work each day and make good use of your on-field experience.

Marketing

“…marketing is everything that the organization does that interacts with a member of the public. Marketing is personal, it’s vivid and it has its fingers in everything.” – Seth Godin

In soccer, that means that you could be doing anything from managing social media accounts to handing out free tees to fans in a stadium. An internship in sports marketing can be found at professional clubs, stadiums, brands or agencies and you will find yourself with a varied, exciting role.

One of the best things about working in soccer marketing is dealing with a fanbase who are enthusiastic, loyal and passionate. That means that the marketing you do (if you do a good job) will be welcomed with open arms by your customers.

Best for: People with a passion for creating incredible customer experiences.

2. Coaching

All coaching is, is taking a player where he can’t take himself.” – Bill McCartney

It’s no mystery why coaching is the most common path for soccer players who don’t go into the professional game. As a soccer coach, you have the chance to pass on your knowledge and expertise to talented players at all levels.

To be a soccer coach, you will need to gain the relevant qualifications to be able to begin your career but once you’re on the ladder, the world is your oyster. You can work with younger players and focus on their early development or you can aim to work at the elite level with professional players.

Best for: Players with a deep knowledge of the tactical, technical, psychological and sociological aspects of the game.

Sponsorship

“Sport sponsorship may represent the form of attaining the right of entitlement to events (e.g. Virgin Money London Marathon), athletes (e.g. Adidas’s endorsement deal with football celebrity David Beckham) or a facility (e.g. Etihad Stadium). “ – Cheong, et al. (2019)

Sports events and the teams/athletes involved are a very attractive opportunity for businesses to promote their products and services.

Best for: Business-minded individuals with a knack for sales and making deals.

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Even if you don’t end up playing soccer professionally, there are 100’s of career paths within the game, we’ve only highlighted a few here but it should give you some inspiration to go and think about where your career could go.